Shop for social good at FestivalForGood

It’s no secret that Singaporeans are suckers for pop-up markets and festivals. If you’re one to go gaga over food carts, accessories and nifty collectibles, it’s time to mark your calendars for FestivalForGood2017. Find yourself spoilt for choice with the variety goodies and activities on offer, like custom-made coffee blends, pottery workshops and live performances from the likes of Joie Tan and Ken Loh.

Happening on 19th August in the heart of town, this 1-day festival will be celebrating over 70 local social enterprises - so you can shop til’ you drop and eat to your heart’s content, all while supporting social good. Here’s what you can look forward to:

- FOOD -

Food will always be a quintessential part of any festival. Here are some vendors you can expect some tasty treats from:

1. Bettr Barista

Besides selling an impressive range of freshly hand-roasted sustainable coffee blends and single origin beans that’ll give you that needed kick, Bettr Barista offers top-notch and internationally-certified barista training classes, group workshops and mobile brew bar services for events - all of which help support its social initiatives that benefit marginalised women and youth-at-risk.

We got the opportunity to try their newly-launched Single-Serve Bold Heart Drip Coffee.

While you’re there, you can look forward to purchasing their newly-launched single serve drip coffees and coffee accessories. On top of that, for a small fee of $10, you’ll have the chance to create your own single-serve drip coffee blends on-site - perfect for taking along on your travels.

2. Pope Jai Thai

Pope Jai Thai is the first local Thai eatery to provide equal employment opportunities to the people in the marginalised community - such as those with special needs, the physically disabled and the disadvantaged.

3. The Ugly Cake Shop

No matter how full you are, you’ll always have some room for dessert. So, drop by The Ugly Cake Shop’s stall to cap off your meal with some of their tasty baked goods.

This bakery has made a name for itself for their artisanal bakes which have been created with no artificial flavours and colouring - making it the perfect guilt-free treat. You can expect to see some of their best-selling cupcakes at their booth - Salted Caramel with Sea Salt, Bittersweet Chocolate, and Valrhona Nutella.

Plus, part of their proceeds go towards a school nutrition fund in Timor-Leste, so every treat you purchase from them goes to a good cause.

- SHOPPING -

For those of you who are in dire need of some retail therapy, FestivalForGood’s pop-up market will be featuring a slew of retail booths. Here are some of the stalls you can expect while there:

1. EDEN+ELIE

Never get stuck again while trying to look for a thoughtful gift with EDEN+ELIE’s extensive collection of modern contemporary accessories. Each of their statement jewellery has been carefully handcrafted by trained artisans. So if you don’t mind splurging a little more for your loved one, go ahead and pick up a gift for them at their booth!

2. Lienstudio (ONE+ONE)

Merging creativity with social enterprising, Lienstudio produces bespoke leather goods and accessories under the label ONE+ONE which have been meticulously made by creative craftsmen.

These uniquely-designed leather accessories will surely be a hit among budding fashionistas looking to stand out from the crowd - just hop on over to their booth and pick a statement-piece that'll add a bold touch to any outfit!

- ACTIVITIES -

Besides treating yourselves to amazing grub and handcrafted merchandises, we’ll let you in on some of the exciting activities and workshops you’ll get to enjoy at the festival:

1. Dialogue in the Dark (DiD)

Put your will and wit to the test as you walk into the shoes of the blind and attempt to escape the dark room. A visually impaired DiDsg guide will walk you through this experiential tour as you “journey” through mind-intensive tasks.

You’ll be able to learn a thing or two from hearing unique life stories from their visually impaired guides and begin seeing things from another perspective.

Time: 12PM – 10PM

2. Hush TeaBar

Image credit: Hush Teabar

Over at Hush Teabar, you’ll get to relax over soothing tea as the deaf helpers walk you through this meditative tea appreciation session via TeaRituals - you’ll even be asked to surrender your phones to ensure there are no disturbances to your experience whatsoever.

Image Credit: Hush Teabar

Participants will also be able to learn more about Hush’s original tea blends while enjoying a tea brewing demonstration conducted by the lovely Tearistas at the event.

3. Center Pottery

Those looking to pick up a new skill can unleash their inner creative spirit at Center Pottery’s mini pottery-making workshop. You’ll be introduced to basic hand-building techniques while molding small plates, saucers and bowls.

Crafting your own pottery can be very relaxing and it’ll help to ease your mind after a long week of work - so look forward to getting your hands dirty. You’ll get to bring home your creations too!

Time: 12PM – 10PM

4. Hello Flowers! SG

Hello Flowers! will be having a workshop where you’ll get to learn about basic floral care and preparation and the techniques of creating a bouquet.

Next time you’re celebrating a special occasion, there’s no to fret about buying them again - just put your flower-arrangement skills to good use. And let’s face it, flower bouquets often cost quite the fortune, so this might just be one handy skill to have!

Hello Flowers! is also a social enterprise floral studio that provides on-job training and job opportunities for disadvantaged individuals who can’t commit to working full-time - bridging the gap in the availability of flexible employment.

5. The Nail Social

Put your creative hat on as you learn basic nail art techniques using real dried flowers, which turn your nails into mini canvases. You’ll also be heartened to know that most products they use are non-toxic, eco-friendly, fair-trade and cruelty-free.

Bonus: Live Performances

Be sure to stay around to catch the live performances that’ll be happening throughout the event. The festival will be featuring an exciting line-up of local artistes who’ll captivate you with their original music as well as covers of hit songs!

Don’t miss the opportunity to catch rising singer-songwriter, Joie Tan, who recently performed at this year’s Shine Festival and Pink Dot SG. You can also expect to see familiar budding musicians like Ken Loh - some may recognise this crooner from his busking sessions along Orchard Road.

Be #partofthegood this weekend

Giving back to the society doesn’t always have to mean doing volunteer work or donating to charity. Today, you can find a plethora of businesses doing their best for different social causes - one that can change more than the lives of those from the marginalised communities.

There are so many different ways you can give back to society today. Start weaving social good into your everyday lives and support these businesses with a social mission, as our small purchases can go a long way to aid the disadvantaged.

So if you’re looking for something fun to do and have no plans for next Saturday, bring your friends along and head down to FestivalForGood and be #partofthegood!